Greenwich Resident

Confusingly, Greenwich Resident's personnel includes a Canadian, an American, a Norwegian and a Briton, and they're based in Liverpool. These disparate upbringings, as evinced by this fine five-track EP, have coalesced agreeably to produce breezily melodic songs, sometimes like Elliott Smith backed by The Everly Brothers, sometimes lent a menacing undertow of lap steel. Will probably appeal to fans of The Feeling, who should also notice in short order that this mob are much better. - The Guardian (UK)

GREENWICH RESIDENT – I Hid My Heroes (Robot!) – Five track EP, lap steel guitar, mandolins, cello, violin, singer/songwriter evolved in to a rather fine full band playing mellow refined rewarding alt.country rock. Kind of warm uplifting mellow and rather un-English sounding (they’re Liverpool based) Elliott Smith flavours, I rather like it’s warm glow - Organ Magazine

Greenwich Resident are a new band hailing from Liverpool, but with a very international pedigree lending the songs on this curious debut EP a diverse and refreshing charm.

The lyrics and pace on the opener, "Imogen", set the feeling of yearning and searching that pervades all of the tracks on the EP. "Imogen"'s light, summery country vibe - reminiscent of a more cerebral Magic Numbers or Wannadies - gives way to a deeper and introspective feel on the outstanding track of the EP, "Not Quite The Actress". The sweeping, cinematic feel underlines how the musicianship of the players takes Greenwich Resident's sound to a different level than that of singer and backing band.

"My Royal Address" shows up the diversity of Greenwich Resident's influences whilst keeping their own unique sound. The pulsating rhythm section gives the feel of an atmospheric DJ Shadow number whilst the lyrics, as consistently pleasing as the playing, take the listener to surreal, dark places. The excellent "I Hid My Heroes" opens with the quiet, blissed out melancholy of Jeff Buckley, eventually building to a climactic outro, pregnant with the romantic confusion of Disintegration-era Cure.

Greenwich Resident's considered dynamics make for a very engaging listen, particularly the light touch of lap steel guitar which removes the singer-songwriter undercurrent to a more magical world. An amazingly accomplished debut.
- The Mag UK

As Greenwich Resident shuffle around the stage setting up their equipment, it would be fair to say
they don't exactly command the dungeon-like venue with charisma and style. But then it's never
easy being first band on, especially when playing to a near-empty room.
But in the immortal words of Garth, 'If you book them, they will come', and it wasn't
long before Greenwich Resident's soaring melodies pulled in the punters. I thought
their fate was sealed with the curse of the soundman (not all of us are deaf - yet),
but the ultrasonic volume must've penetrated the street outside.
The band themselves seem painfully shy - and spend most of their time looking at
the floor. The bashfulness works well with their lack of eye contact, floppy hair and
apologetic hunches - lending a good dollop of misunderstood teenage angst to the proceedings.
Greenwich Resident's lack of engagement with the audience reflects how seriously they take the
music. With the frontman, Tom Grant, sounding a little like Brian Molko combining with the soaring
melodies of Incubus, the music has a poise, drama and passion all of its own.
New track "Imogen", electrifies the atmosphere with a well-paced build up that defies the usual
verse / chorus structure. Even the giant-like ginger drummer looks moved and slightly over-awed
by the melodious tension.
"I Hid My Heroes", the title track of their debut EP, is a delicate cobweb of spidery riffs. Each
instrument can be clearly heard as if held together with delicate threads: there's no competing
for the limelight in this band. The choice of tracks are brave considering the (now) lively Friday
night crowd, and you wonder if they're playing more for themselves?
The instrumentals are lengthy and polished - an achievement due in part to the delicate touch
of lap steel guitar. And they're not ashamed to enjoy their music either, as Grant kneels on the
stage to play his heart out. The resulting effect is a mesmerising cacophony of sound, which
completely bypasses the aggressive repetition of many young guitar bands.?
- The Mag UK

Greenwich Resident ‘I hid my heroes’ (Robot). Another ensemble that it has (I think I’m right in saying) to said that we recently came across via My Space is this mighty fine debut release from Liverpool based quartet Greenwich Resident. Admittedly not your usual gritty hip swerving skinny tie wearing three chord affair and as far as we can see bereft of any notion or hint of a scouse twang - instead and much to our delight we hasten to add Greenwich Resident are a cut above your usual samey scallywag type bluster. Featured here are five pristinely executed country tinged gems slipped straight from the working pages of Buffalo Springfield, Michael Nesmith and Gram Parsons and dipped ever so softly with a drifting West Coast aroma and drip dried to give you a inner warm fuzzy feeling. Where Greenwich Resident excel is in their ability to carve a style of song craft rooted in the timeless tradition of classic era Americana, the melodies combine a rich blend of breezy wholesomeness that carry the aroma of the Stateside Southern belts along as though gently transported on drifting streams of air, all the time the vibe is delicately lilting and lingering. ‘Imogen’ opens the set a gorgeous prairie picture book of pining lap steel, boys / girl vocals, softly shuffling percussions and melting string arrangements the sum of whose parts recall at varying points a more upbeat and nuzzling sunshine inclined Go Betweens. ‘Not quite the actress’ really is something else, darker and more tempered in design it provides the sets best moment by far nudging ever so gently the equally tasty title track ‘I hid my heroes’, sliding riffs arc longingly with the flotilla of noire-esque treated violas, tense and intimate this brooding slice of bruised romance and deceit reaches into McCartney’s more shadowy Beatle moments and counters it with a svelte waltz like fixture that’s simply numbs to the core. Through a frosted haze of spiralling chords ‘My Royal Address’ burns with a deep desire that owes much to the 60’s styled melodic finesse (in terms of simmering passion) as was once the remit of Rialto in the mid 90’s while the tenderly
frail and trembling campfire buzz that oozes from the introspective ‘I can hold out’ is best sampled late at night cuddled up to the warm embrace of a loved one. ‘I hid my heroes’ concludes the set and a beautiful thing it is to as it stings, hurts and cruelly beguiles you while reaching for your insides to gently squeeze your heart of its emotional attachments, so achingly slow its almost a murmur recalling in the main Codeine’s ‘D’ and just when you are resigned to being overcome by the perpetual swells of forlorn hopelessness it seductively turns about pace in true crushing style to see its way to the final stretch amid a honey crusted procession of heaven sent deftly picked Floyd-esque motifs - quite irresistible. www.robot-robot.co.uk

- The Sunday Experience

ndie to their damp core, Greenwich Resident make the kind of epic guitar music that avoids the Snow Patrol marshes by mixing in the kind of lyricism and vocal style that wouldn't look out of place on an Elliot Smith or Pavement record. Clocking up name checks from the indie firmament, Greenwich Resident certainly have the backing to succeed - and on the basis of 'I Hid My Heroes' there's a good chance they'll be enjoying some, taking as they do the gentle solipsism of Smith with the bombastic majesty of Modest Mouse. Clocking in at five tracks, this EP is a nice little calling card for a band who have the potential to be pleasant... Time! - Boomkat